


I never saw you coming and I’ll never be the same

by Imnotweirdjustwriting



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Kiss, Jealous Albert, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 16:16:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14719442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imnotweirdjustwriting/pseuds/Imnotweirdjustwriting
Summary: Albert maybe feeling a little wistful after Racetrack and Spot became official because he had like small crush on Race, and Finch kinda takes his mind off of Race and Albert slowly falls for Finch.Prompt from @crystallizedtwilight on Tumblr





	I never saw you coming and I’ll never be the same

**Author's Note:**

> Title from ‘State of Grace’ by Taylor Swift (and recommended by the lovely buckydarling)

The first thing that Albert noticed when he got to lunch was that Race and Spot were holding hands. Not the pinkies-hooked-under-the-table ‘this is a secret’ kind of holding hands. Actual, real, fully visible holding hands. 

Albert’s heart sunk before he even knew what he was thinking. He knew this was Spot and Race finally admitting they were dating. Months and months of looking at each other too long, jerking apart whenever someone else entered the room, sleepovers without anyone else, finally they were admitting it. 

Admitting that Albert had been lying to himself every time he convinced himself that Race and Spot were only friends, that they were all just being suspicious for nothing.

Albert’s blood was rushing too loudly in his ears to even hear anything that Race and Spot were saying to everyone. He saw Jack laughing, saw the way that Mush raised his eyebrows at Specs and how Davey was nudging Crutchie, but all of the sound was muted. 

A hand on his shoulder jolted him out of his daze, one voice cutting through the static. 

“Albert,” Finch said like it was not his first time trying. 

“Yeah?” Albert asked, his tongue heavy in his mouth. 

“Do you want to come over after school?” He asked. 

Albert had no idea why Finch was inviting him over but suddenly the idea of going home and being alone felt horrible. “Yes.” He said and nothing else. 

Finch didn’t push him for anything else, just sat next to Albert as they finished lunch. He said something to Albert about meeting out front after school that Albert hardly heard, just nodding as Finch left to go to class. 

Albert knew he was acting weird but he didn’t know how to stop. He just felt lost and confused because something he had felt had been ruined and he wasn’t even sure what it was. 

Finch was waiting right outside for him like he’d said, a hat pulled down over his curly hair against the bitter cold that was already biting at Albert’s face. 

“Here,” Finch said, wrapping his own scarf around Albert’s neck without hesitation when he got closer. Albert stayed very still as Finch adjusted the scarf so it covered his mouth and nose. Albert breathed deeply, inhaling the smell of Finch that clung to the scarf. Albert’s mind cleared as he walked with Finch to his car, calmer and more still, his face still buried in Finch’s scarf. 

Finch opened the passenger door for Albert before sliding into the driver’s seat. His car was a dingy little Toyota that Finch adored with his whole heart. He had to jiggle the door handle a few times to get the door to shut before he started the car up with a splitter. Heat poured from from the vents but still Albert kept he scarf over his face.

“Do you have a music preference?” Finch asked.

“Do you have Bluetooth?”

Finch laughed, clear and sweet. “In this old girl? No, just an aux cord.”

Albert fished the aux cord out from between the seats, carefully fitting it into his phone. Music started playing immediately, and Albert was incredibly grateful that it wasn’t one of his emo playlists. Finch recognized the peppy and upbeat song, tapping his hand on the steering wheel to the beat as he drove. 

Albert zoned out a little bit watching Finch. The light outside was bright, illuminating Finch’s surprisingly delicate profile. He had the lightest smattering of freckles over his cheeks that almost looked gold, and his warm brown eyes kept flickering over to Albert. 

“He’s gay,” Finch said, interrupting Albert’s thoughts.

Albert balked, struggling to figure out who Finch was even referring to. 

“This artist,” Finch clarified. “The songs about a guy.”

They were both silent for a bit as they listened to the lyrics, the music washing over them both. 

“It sure is,” Albert said with a laugh after a particularly suggestive line. 

Finch laughed with him, smoothly turning into his neighborhood. They pulled into his driveway right as the song was ending. Albert let the song finish before unplugging his phone, the last few notes hanging in the car between then before Finch opened his door and the stillness was lost. 

Albert followed Finch inside, carefully pulling the scarf off before he slipped out of his shoes. He handed it to Finch very gingerly, watching him hang it on a hook. 

“Albert’s here, we’ll be up in my room!” Finch hollered in the direction of the living room. He took the steps two at a time, his feet light as Albert went up clumsily behind him. 

Albert was struck like he always was as they went into Finch’s room how much he adored it. The glow in the dark stars plastered across the ceiling and wall, the posters of space and the silly little alien magnets Albert had gotten him as a joke. Even the bookshelves, stuffed with fantasy and non fiction and silly coloring books, made Albert smile despite himself. Finch’s room was it’s own little world and Albert found himself happy to be in it. 

Albert laid back on the bed as Finch put his school stuff away, staring up at the ceiling. Jack had painted tiny little constellations across the sky, labeled in his loopy hand writing that Albert loved to read. 

“What’s up, Al,” Finch asked very gently. 

Albert didn’t look at him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you looked really upset at lunch today,” Finch laid down slowly on the bed next to Albert, looking up at the stars with him. “Are you okay?”

Albert swallowed hard. He was at a complete loss of what to say. He was sure that he himself was only figuring it out right now. 

“I think,” he struggled for words. “Maybe I might be jealous of Spot. Or mad at Race.”

“Okay,” Finch said softly. “Why do you think that?”

Albert was quiet for a moment. “I think maybe I might have... liked Race. Or something. I don’t know, I’m sorry, I’m being so ridiculous.”

Albert sat up, maybe to leave or just stand to clear his head, but Finch grabbed his wrist to stop him. 

“It’s okay,” Finch said gently. “Sit down, Al, please. It’s okay.”

Albert sat back down next to Finch, training his eyes on the bookshelf. “I guess I just hoped that he and Spot weren’t actually, you know.”

“I know. Race is obviously really happy, though.”

“Yeah, I saw, and I’m happy too I guess I just,” Albert took a long breath. “I just thought it would be with me.”

“I’m sorry,” Finch said because there was nothing else to say. 

“It’s not your fault,” Albert said because it was all he could say. 

“Maybe if you had talked to Race and told him how you felt,” Finch tried. 

“It’s not that easy, Fi.”

Finch shrugged, laying back on the bed. “It is. Just go up and say ‘hey, Race, I’m into you.’ You missed your chance, Al.”

Albert grimaced. “Like you’d ever tell someone you liked them.”

“Bet,” Finch said, sitting right back upright. He took Albert’s hand in his own, pausing for a second to give Albert a chance to pull away if he wanted to. “Albert DaSilva, I have a big massive gay crush on you.”

Albert blinked at him before frowning. “Real funny, Finch. Make all my problems a joke.”

Finch faltered. “No, that’s not what I meant-“

Albert’s face got a little red as he continued talking, clearly frustrated. “I just saw like the only guy I’ve ever been into with his new boyfriend apparently, and you think it’s funny to pretend to be into me or whatever, I know my romance life is a big joke but I was actually hopeful or whatever, but go ahead and laugh it up-“

“Can I kiss you?” Finch asked with zero warning.

Albert stopped mid rant. He couldn’t even think, Finch’s question had left his mind completely blank. “Yes,” he said though he had no idea why he did. 

Finch leaned forward so slowly Albert thought someone had slowed down time. The only indicator that it wasn’t came from the pounding of his pulse, much faster than it should’ve been in the anticipation of kissing Finch. Their lips met softly, cautiously like Finch was sure he would scare Albert. 

Finch went to pull away, clearly worried he had messed up, but Albert cupped a hand around his neck to pull him in. Finch’s lips were soft and pliant against Albert’s, still a little bit cold from outside, or maybe Finch was just naturally cold. 

Whatever it was Albert didn’t care at all because in this moment he was kissing Finch and Finch was kissing him and he suddenly wanted to be a hell of lot closer. He moved closer, his hands sliding down Finch’s back as he kissed him harder. Finch’s teeth nipped at Albert’s bottom lip, unexpected but pleasant as Albert pressed even closer. 

Finch laid back on the bed, hardly breaking the kiss as Albert moved over him, straddling his hips as he leaned down to kiss Finch more. Their lips moved against each other with a little too much force, nearly bruising. Albert didn’t know what Finch was thinking but he knew that kissing Finch was a hundred times better than he’d ever imagined kissing Race. Finch’s hands were gentle as they traced his spine and threaded through his hair, exploring slowly like he was trying to memorize Albert. 

Albert drew back from the kiss, still on top of Finch as they both struggled to get their breathing back to normal. 

“That was nice,” Finch said, breaking the silence. 

Albert burst into laughter, the nerves dissipating at Finch’s words. He moved off of him, sitting upright in the bed as he laughed. “It was,” he agreed. 

“You’re laughing at me,” Finch said, sitting up with Albert. 

Albert shrugged. “You’re funny. And cute, I guess.”

Finch leaned in to press a soft kiss to Albert’s neck. “You’re cute as fuck and I can finally say that.”

Albert turned his head to kiss Finch again. “How long have you been waiting?”

Finch considered for a moment. “Beginning of the year, I’m sure. You came into bio class late and knocked over one of the lab stools. I remember seeing the way you laughed while your ears went all red. I was so fucked,” Finch was laughing at himself now. 

Albert kissed Finch once more. “I can’t believe you’re into me because I blush from my ears.”

Finch shrugged. “That’s just when I realized I guess. I like a lot of things about you. Like your hair-“

“It’s red,” Albert said blandly.

“It’s pretty. And your freckles-“

“My face just looks dirty.”

“I think they look like stars,” Finch said barely above a whisper. 

Albert was at a loss for words for a moment. “That’s so fucking gay,” he said at last. 

Finch laughed hard, leaning back against the bed. “You’re cute,” he said from the bed. 

Albert used one arm to prop himself up as he kissed Finch again. “How long until your parents call you down for dinner?”

“In this family? At least a few hours.”

“Perfect,” Albert said, moving closer. “We can pass the time.”

His lips were on Finch’s before he was even done speaking. They stayed together like that for hours, tangled up in Finch’s blankets under the stars.

**Author's Note:**

> What’s up I love Alfi more than I love myself


End file.
